I am sorry for your loss. To fully answer your question, an attorney would need some more information like: (1) How was the home titled at your partner's death? (2) Did your partner have a valid estate plan (Will, Trust, etc.) that includes this home and, if so, does that plan spell out any... View More

Assuming AZ house was owned JTWROS between parents, then when dad passed in 2014, the house effectively belonged solely to mother (even though nothing was recorded to reflect that). Then in 2022, the house became part of mother's probate estate. The Will giving the life estate probably governs... View More

It is probably in your best interest to show the full trust to an estate planning attorney, because the information provided here seems incomplete. For example, if the trust first says that the house is to be conveyed to the son as his sole an separate property and then later the trust says... View More

In addition to the other attorney's response, although by law the power of attorney doesn't necessarily expire, banks and financial institutions are notorious for not honoring powers of attorney that are more than a few years old. In other words, its a good idea to have them... View More

This all depends on many factors such as your family makeup/dynamics, the types of assets you have, your health, expected longevity, and who you want to inherit those assets.

A will-based plan can be adequate for some people with even a few hundred thousand in assets depending on... View More

Usually. Even people who take self-help routes will incur fees for form documents or software programs. This is a very important part of life planning for most people. Lots of money and heartache can actually be saved by doing it right. If you want advice to do it right, you will need to work with... View More

Besides what my colleague has already said... Estate planning is not just about what happens at the death of one spouse, but also about what happens when the second spouse dies and what happens if either of you become incapacitated. Titling assets jointly covers you for the death of one spouse, but... View More

If the will was validly created in another state, it will be valid here in Arizona. However, moving to a new state can bring up differences of administration and other things - so it might be worth contacting an Arizona estate planning attorney to review your will and ancillary documents.

If you both name each other as the sole primary beneficiary of your IRAs, then when the first of you dies, that deceased-spouse's IRA will NOT be part of the probate estate, but will pass by operation of law to the designated beneficiary (in this case, the surviving spouse). If that is not... View More

The answer to this question may be more complex than you were anticipating. I suggest that you contact a probate attorney near you to talk about your options. Among other things, the attorney will want to know if your father had a will that covered this house, how the house was titled, the value of... View More

It is hard to tell exactly what is going on without more information. I recommend you contact a local probate attorney for more guidance.

If your father made his will in Arizona prior to 1984, then itmight be deposited with the probate registrar in the county where he made that will. For most people however, the best way to find a deceased person's will is to look through the deceased's house, safe deposit box, and storage.... View More

You may consider doing two things right away: 1) contact an attorney directly who handles probate, 2) have your husband request the death certificates.

No, a beneficiary is not obligated under Arizona law to accept items left to him/her in a will. And, yes, it is possible to disclaim an inheritance. However, one cannot disclaim a gift or inheritance until the gift or transfer is actually attempted. In the case of inheritance, this is only after... View More

When someone dies without a will, they are said to die "intestate." When this happens Arizona's laws of intestacy dictate who will inherit that person's estate. Based on the limited information provided here, in the case of your former father-in-law, unless you bear some other... View More

I am answering the question under the following assumptions: (1) your house is properly titled to your trust, (2) your trust has been properly prepared to meet your wishes, and (3) you are the current trustee. If so, then insuring the house is fairly straight forward. Just be sure to contact your... View More

Moving from one state to another does not necessarily mean the trust needs to be updated. That being said, an attorney would need to review the trust and your circumstances before giving any advice as to whether any further action on your part would be needed. I recommend that you contact an estate... View More

I apologize for the delay in answering this question. Assuming your step-mother is still alive - If your father owned the property jointly with your step-mother as joint tenants with rights of survivorship, then you will not be entitled to any portion of that property. If your father owned is with... View More

There are very specific legal guidelines that a person must follow when he or she takes on the role of executor (or Personal Representative). One of the requirements is to provide certain notices to beneficiaries. In order to make sure you do not run into legal trouble, I recommend you seek the... View More

While appealing a judges ruling may be available to you, without more facts, it is impossible to give any advice regarding whether appealing would be a good idea or even an option here. You ought to seek the counsel of an experienced probate attorney, specifically one who handles appeals and see... View More